BlizzCon 2016 World of Warcraft: What’s Next Panel Transcript

Micro-Holidays

Hazzikostas: So next, 7.1.5 is also going to introduce something that we call Micro Holidays. Now “what…” you may ask “is a Micro Holiday?” Well… simple. It’s a holiday, but smaller.

(Audience laughs)

You know. Really. Right? Like holidays in World of Warcraft are things like Winter’s Veil or the litter festival that lasts for a week or two, offers achievements, some power awards, a variety of pets, mounts, things like that to obtain.

What if we had smaller events that only lasted for a day or two. What are some of the things that citizens of Azeroth might celebrate as part of their existence, as part of what I mentioned earlier in contributing to building a living world. What days might matter to them, and how might we interact with those occasions?

So some examples of what I’m talking about here: Ahn’Qiraj Remembrance Day. On January 22nd 2006, on the Medivh server (I believe). Here in North America. I want to say it was like led by the guild Fury, maybe I’m remembering right. The Gates of Ahn’Qiraj were opened for the very first time in the world, and that was the culmination of a 800,000 Linen turn-ins, and all other sorts of pain; and the servers crashed continuously.

So to celebrate that on January 22nd, every year, we will actually take the servers down.

(audience laughs)

To celebrate that on January 22nd in Silithus, Azeroth will celebrate its remembrance day of Ahn’Qiraj, as Alliance and Horde rally there, performs objectives in the zone, gather supplies reminiscent of the scarab fragments that you might have gathered back in the old scarab old days, and turn them in on behalf of your faction; and whichever faction in the entire region, the entirety of North America, or the entirety of Europe turns in more during this day… they will have their flag, their banner flown over the walls of Ahn’Qiraj for the entire remainder of the year, until the next Ahn’Qiraj Remembrance Day.

So you want to show your pride for the Alliance? You want to fight for the Horde? Come to Silithus on January 22nd. Again, there’s no achievements here, no power rewards there’s no mounts or pets, or things that will make you upset if you missed it. It’s just something fun and different to do when you login during this event.

Next, Volunteer Guard Day. So Ahn’Qiraj Remembrance Day is pretty serious big stuff, and Volunteer Guard Day is really about showing appreciation and respect for the unsung heroes of the Horde and the Alliance. The Stormwind patroller, or the Orgrimmar city guard that guards the streets of our fair capitals keeping them safe from evil-doers, wrong-doers who would otherwise do us all harm.

So on Volunteer Guard Day, if you chose to be a guard, you can actually take on their appearance, trade places with them for a little bit, and you can go on patrol around the city, and keep it safe from various NPCs, and others that will attempt to attack. Just a fun different thing to do.

On one other day of every year, in the zone of Feralas, the feathered hyppogryphs hatch these eggs that are carefully tended. They hatch, and they fly out to sea. If you were there on that one day each year when it happens you can witness that happening (that occurrence), and you can get a little buddy of your own… a little young baby hyppogryph (Pepe style), that accompany you perching. Not a mount or pet for your collection. Not a Battle Pet to do battle with, but just something neat and different.

And finally, really the opposite end of the spectrum, in terms of seriousness from Ahn’Qiraj Remembrance Day. Sometimes it can be really rough. Sometimes being a citizen of Azeroth can get you down. You’re dealing with the Legion. You’re dealing with Deathwing, the Lich King. Constantly every time you turn around, there’s some existential threat to our world.

Sometimes you just want to kick back. Take it easy, and so this is basically as you’re off springbreak. This is– just sometimes you just want to take a boat out to the lake, get some sun, chill with your friends, or in the case of Azeroth (in this case) the flooded Thousand Needles. Thanks to Deathwing. But yea, so when it’s Boat Day, you go out there and celebrate.

Again, this is in no way, shape, or form intended to be on par or substitute for a dungeon or a raid. They’re just fun wacky things that are going to vary the flow of life in the world. We have plenty more in store that we are looking to add in the future; and it’s just part of that living world idea that can carry forward throughout the years as time moves on.

Tomas Hernandez is owner of Blizzplanet.com since 2003. I post news about World of Warcraft, StarCraft II, Diablo III, Hearthstone, Overwatch, Heroes of the Storm, Blizzard Careers, and the Warcraft film.

Blizzplanet is a leading fansite covering news about upcoming Blizzard Entertainment licensed products. I also post previews and reviews. I have interviewed book writers and Blizzard game developers.

I was previously an employee of the OGaming Network (2003), and IncGamers (2008-2010). I was a guest newsposter for GosuGamers (World of Warcraft) a few years ago and for Diablofans.com (formerly Diablo3.com)

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